Why sexual assault victims are reluctant to come forward

Former Burlington Police Chief Tom Tremblay has been pivotal in changing the conversation surrounding sexual assault within law enforcement. He's helped develop multiple training programs on sexual assault and trauma, and serves as a faculty member for the IACP's National Law Enforcement Leadership Initiative on Violence Against Women, as well as NCCP's Trauma Informed Sexual Assault Investigations and Adjudication Training program.

Needless to say, Tremblay has a whole lot of experience into the best ways to handle such cases. And he has a whole lot to say about what that means for the larger, national conversation about sexual assault.

Speaking with Vox's Sarah Kliff, Tremblay stated that he wasn't surprised about victims coming forward with allegations against Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump years after the fact, or that more people have spoken out.

"It's not at all uncommon to see other victims come forward, who are thinking, 'Well, they came forward; now it's not just my word.' And then we see the next victim says the same thing," Tremblay explains.

Kliff's interview with Trembaly is enlightening, exploring the ways power factors into whether a victim chooses to report an assault. It also cites a sense of entitlement as a key attribute in those who commit sexual assault.